Processing execution system using beacon

Abstract

The present invention comprises a predetermined beacon 1 to be received and a mobile terminal 2 that executes prescribed processing upon receiving beacon information transmitted from the beacon 1 to be received. As long as terminal information, which is information for identifying the mobile terminal 2, does not change, the mobile terminal 2 suspends execution of the prescribed processing once a fixed time elapses after receiving the beacon information, even if the mobile terminal 2 receives beacon information of which the content is ascertained to be the same during the elapsed time. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 2 successively switches a plurality of instances of the terminal information, which are ascertained to be different from each other in content, on a time interval that is less than or equal to the fixed time, or on a time interval obtained by adding a prescribed short time to the fixed time. This makes it possible to provide a processing execution system capable of improving the execution reliability and convenience of prescribed processing in cases where said prescribed processing is executed by a mobile terminal using a beacon.

Description

Processing Execution System Using Beacon

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing execution system that receives beacon information transmitted from a beacon by a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone and executes a predetermined process such as unlocking a door.

[0002] In recent years, in a door with a locking device, when a permitted person communicates between a mobile terminal carried by the permitted person and a beacon provided in the locking device, and determines that the permitted person has approached the vicinity of the door based on the intensity of the received beacon signal, a system is considered in which an unlocking signal is transmitted from the mobile terminal to the locking device to automatically unlock the door.

[0003] With such a system, while ensuring security, the door can be automatically unlocked just by approaching, and the hands-free operation allows the user to pass through the door, thus improving convenience.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-137266

[0005] By the way, in such a system, an application that starts upon receiving a beacon signal and transmits an unlocking signal must be installed on the mobile terminal side.

[0006] However, the application may enter a stopped state even if the same beacon signal is received during a certain period after receiving the beacon signal. When such a situation occurs, for example, if the permitted person is stopped near the door or fails to pass through the door while being near the door due to an unexpected factor, the application stops, resulting in a problem that the door cannot be unlocked. That is, in the conventional system, the problem of uncertainty in processing execution remains.

[0007] Of course, if the permitted person restarts the application by operating it, or if the permitted person once goes out of the reception range of the beacon signal and then re-enters, the application will be restarted, so the door can be unlocked, but there is a problem in convenience.

[0008] And the above-mentioned problem is common not only in the process of unlocking the door but also in various processes using applications in mobile terminals including mobile phones.

[0009] Therefore, the present invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its main objective is to improve the reliability and convenience of executing a predetermined process when a mobile terminal that receives a beacon signal performs said predetermined process.

[0010] In other words, the present invention has the following configuration.

[0011] [1] A processing execution system comprising a predetermined target beacon and a mobile terminal that performs a predetermined process when it receives beacon information that is determined to have been transmitted from the target beacon, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to stop executing the predetermined process after a certain period of time has elapsed since it received the beacon information, even if it receives beacon information that is determined to have the same content during that time, as long as the terminal information which is information for identifying itself does not change, and is characterized in that it meets the requirements of (1) or (2) described later. (1) The mobile terminal switches to terminal information that is determined to have different content at time intervals of less than or equal to the certain period of time, or at time intervals that are the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time. (2) The receiving beacon transmits multiple beacon information, each with different content, in sequence, and the time from the start of transmission of one beacon information to the start of transmission of the next beacon information is set to be within the specified time or the specified time plus a predetermined short time. When the mobile terminal receives one of the multiple beacon information, it determines that the beacon information is from the receiving beacon and starts executing the predetermined process, and determines that each beacon information transmitted by the receiving beacon is a different beacon information.

[0012] (Purpose) With this setup, the beacon information or terminal information changes before or immediately after the completion of the predetermined processing on the mobile terminal, so the predetermined processing is extended for a certain period of time from the moment of the change. In this way, as long as the mobile terminal remains within range of being able to receive beacon information from the target beacon, the certain period of time that limits the execution time of the predetermined processing is extended, thus preventing the execution of the predetermined processing from being unexpectedly stopped.

[0013] [2] A processing execution system comprising a predetermined target beacon and a mobile terminal that performs a predetermined process when it receives beacon information that is determined to have been transmitted from the target beacon, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to stop executing the predetermined process after a certain period of time has elapsed since it received the beacon information, even if it receives beacon information that is determined to have the same content during that time, as long as the terminal information which is information for identifying itself does not change, and switches to terminal information that is determined to have different content at time intervals of less than the certain period of time, or at time intervals that are the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time.

[0014] (Purpose) With this type of system, the aforementioned effects can be obtained solely through the mobile terminal application, without requiring any special settings on the beacon side.

[0015] [3] A processing execution system comprising a receiving target beacon and a mobile terminal which executes a predetermined process when it determines that the received beacon information originated from the receiving target beacon, and which stops executing the predetermined process after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, even if it receives beacon information that is determined to be the same during that time, wherein the receiving target beacon transmits a plurality of beacon information with different contents in sequence, and the time from the start of transmission of one beacon information to the start of transmission of the next beacon information is set to be within the certain period of time or the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time, and the mobile terminal further determines that when it receives one of the plurality of beacon information, it determines that the beacon information is beacon information from the receiving target beacon and starts executing the predetermined process, and determines that each beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon is different beacon information.

[0016] (Purpose) With this configuration, the aforementioned effects can be obtained simply by configuring the beacon itself. That is, when a mobile terminal receives any beacon information transmitted from a target beacon, it starts executing a predetermined process. Thereafter, each time it receives a succession of beacon signals, it determines them to be different beacon information, and the execution of the predetermined process is extended by the aforementioned fixed time each time. In this way, as long as the mobile terminal remains within range of receiving beacon information from the target beacon, the aforementioned fixed time limit for the execution of the predetermined process is extended, thus preventing the execution of the predetermined process from unexpectedly stopping.

[0017] [4] The mobile terminal comprises a processing unit that takes two states: an execution state in which it performs the predetermined processing or a stopped state in which it stops the execution of the predetermined processing; a receiving unit that receives beacon information; a first storage unit that stores one or more registration information; and a command unit that determines whether any of the registration information stored in the first storage unit matches the received beacon information, and if it determines that they match, puts the processing unit into an execution state for a certain period of time, while when the certain period of time has elapsed, even if beacon information that is determined to match the same registration information is received during that time, the command unit that determines that the received beacon information matches any of the beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon (hereinafter also referred to as initial registration information), and when the command unit determines that the received beacon information matches the initial registration information, it determines that it is beacon information from the receiving target beacon and puts the processing unit into an execution state for a certain period of time, and in the execution state, the processing unit, in addition to the predetermined processing, adds each beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon to the first storage unit as new registration information. The processing execution system according to any one of [1] to [3], characterized in that each time the command unit receives switched beacon information, it determines that it has received beacon information that matches different registered information, and extends the execution state of the processing unit for a certain period of time.

[0018] (Purpose) This configuration allows for concrete implementation. Furthermore, since the registration information is dynamically changed, even if there are many target beacons, it is not necessary to store multiple beacon information transmitted from each of those target beacons as registration information in the first storage unit at once, nor is it necessary to compare the received beacon information with a large amount of registration information. Therefore, the resources and processing required for that purpose are eliminated, and beacon information can be received efficiently.

[0019] [5] The receiving target beacon transmits multiple beacon information that has been changed according to a certain rule, and the processing execution system according to any one of [1] to [4]. (Purpose) With such a system, it is not necessary to register all of the multiple beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon as registered information, and it can be calculated according to the rule, so resources can be further reduced. [6] The multiple beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon each has a common part whose content is the same and a different part whose content is different from each other, and the processing execution system according to any one of [1] to [5] is characterized in that when the received beacon information contains the common part, the mobile terminal determines that the beacon information is beacon information from the receiving target beacon and starts executing the predetermined processing, and determines that each of the beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon is different beacon information. (Purpose) With such a system, it is possible to determine whether or not the beacon information is from the receiving target beacon without using a complex algorithm, which can contribute to resource reduction and faster calculation.

[0020] [7] A processing execution system used with a door unlocking device that unlocks a door when it receives a predetermined unlocking signal, wherein the predetermined processing is to transmit the unlocking signal to the door unlocking device, as described in any of [1] to [6]. (Purpose) With such a system, the problem of the door not being able to be unlocked can be solved, thus demonstrating the remarkable effects of the present invention. [8] A processing execution system according to [7], wherein a first range in which beacon information can be received by the mobile terminal is set with the door as the starting point, and a second range closer to the door than the first range is set, and the predetermined processing is executed when the mobile terminal enters the first range, wherein the predetermined processing prepares to transmit the unlocking signal when the mobile terminal enters the first range, and transmits the unlocking signal to the door unlocking device when it enters the second range.

[0021] (Purpose) With this configuration, in the first range far from the door, preparatory processing before unlocking takes a certain amount of time, such as authenticating whether the holder of the mobile terminal is an authorized passerby using, for example, internet communication with a server device, and sending an unlock signal from the server device to the mobile terminal if authenticated. As a result, when the mobile terminal enters the second range closer to the door, it can immediately send an unlock signal, allowing authorized passersby with the mobile terminal to pass through the door smoothly. Furthermore, even if the authorized passerby does not enter the second range due to unforeseen circumstances and remains in the first range for a long time, the mobile terminal maintains the execution state of the predetermined processing, so even if they enter the second range afterward, an unlock signal will be sent immediately, allowing the passerby with the mobile terminal to pass through the door smoothly.

[0022] [9] The processing execution system according to [8], characterized in that if the mobile terminal enters the first range and receives the beacon information, and a predetermined first time limit has elapsed, and the mobile terminal has not been detected to have entered the second range, the unlocking signal is disabled or cannot be transmitted. (Purpose) By appropriately setting the first time limit, it is possible to determine that the user remains in the first range and has no intention of passing through the door, and in that case, even if the user subsequently enters the second range, the unlocking signal is disabled or cannot be transmitted, thereby improving security while ensuring convenience. It is preferable that the first time limit is longer than the predetermined time.

[0023]

[10] The processing execution system according to [7] or [8], characterized in that the mobile terminal invalidates or stops transmitting the unlocking signal if the unlocking signal continues to be transmitted beyond the second time limit. (Purpose) The same as described above. Since the continued transmission of the unlocking signal means that the user remains within the second range, by appropriately setting the first time limit, security can be improved while ensuring convenience. The second time limit is the time the user can remain near the door, and it is not necessary to set a very long time, so it may be set to be shorter than the aforementioned fixed time.

[0024]

[11] The processing execution system according to

[10] , characterized in that the mobile terminal detects whether or not the mobile terminal has entered the second range based on the reception strength of the beacon information. (Purpose) With such a configuration, the entry of a mobile terminal into the second range can be detected without providing a dedicated sensor or the like.

[0025]

[12] The processing execution system according to any one of [1] to

[11] , characterized in that the number of beacon information transmitted by the beacon to be received is 3 or more. (Purpose) The more different beacon information is transmitted during the specified period of time, the less the effects of radio interference and the like can be reduced, and the stability of the predetermined processing execution by the processing unit can be improved. For this purpose, it is preferable that the number of different beacon information is 3 or more.

[0026]

[13] A mobile terminal that performs a predetermined process when it receives a predetermined target beacon and beacon information that is determined to have been transmitted from the target beacon, wherein, as long as the terminal information which is information for identifying itself does not change, after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, it is configured to stop executing the predetermined process even if it receives beacon information that is determined to have the same content during that time, and switches to terminal information that is determined to have different content at time intervals of less than the certain period of time, or at time intervals that are the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time. (Purpose) The present invention also includes such a configuration.

[0027]

[14] A mobile terminal that sequentially switches and transmits multiple beacon information having different contents, and is used with a receiving target beacon that starts transmitting the next beacon information within a certain period of time from the start of transmission of one beacon information, or within a predetermined short time added to the certain period of time, and executes a predetermined process when it is determined that the received beacon information was transmitted from the receiving target beacon, wherein after the certain period of time has elapsed since the reception of the beacon information, it is configured to stop executing the predetermined process even if it receives beacon information that is determined to be the same during that time, and furthermore, when it receives one of the multiple beacon information, it determines that the beacon information is from the receiving target beacon and starts executing the predetermined process, and determines that each beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon is different beacon information. (Purpose) The present invention also includes such a configuration.

[0028]

[15] A program installed on a mobile terminal that executes a predetermined process when it receives a predetermined target beacon and beacon information that is determined to have been transmitted from the target beacon, wherein, as long as the terminal information which is information for identifying the mobile terminal does not change, after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, even if beacon information that is determined to have the same content is received during that time, the program stops executing the predetermined process and causes the mobile terminal to perform a function to switch to terminal information that is determined to have different content at time intervals of less than the certain period of time or at time intervals that are the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time. (Purpose) The present invention also includes the above configuration.

[0029]

[16] A program installed in a mobile terminal that sequentially switches and transmits multiple beacon information having different contents, and is used with a receiving target beacon that starts transmitting the next beacon information within a certain period of time from the start of transmission of one beacon information, or within a predetermined short period of time added to the certain period of time, and executes a predetermined process when it is determined that the received beacon information was transmitted from the receiving target beacon, wherein, after the certain period of time has elapsed since the reception of the beacon information, the program has a function to stop the execution of the predetermined process even if beacon information that is determined to be the same is received during that time, and furthermore, when one of the multiple beacon information is received, the program has a function to cause the mobile terminal to determine that the beacon information is from the receiving target beacon and start the execution of the predetermined process, and to determine that each beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon is different beacon information. (Purpose) The present invention also includes the above configuration.

[0030] According to the present invention configured in this way, while the mobile terminal is receiving beacon information from the target beacon, the aforementioned fixed time, which is the limit on the execution time of the predetermined process, is extended, thereby preventing the execution of the predetermined process from unexpectedly stopping.

[0031] This is a schematic overall diagram of the processing execution system according to the first and second embodiments of the present invention. This is a schematic diagram showing beacon information of the first embodiment. This is a functional block diagram of the mobile terminal of the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the communication unit and the command unit in the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the terminal information setting unit in the same embodiment. This is a time chart showing the transmission timing of the beacon signal, the operation timing of the mobile terminal that receives it, and the switching timing of the terminal information in the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the processing unit in the same embodiment. This is a schematic diagram showing beacon information of the second embodiment of the present invention. This is a time chart showing the transmission timing of beacon information in the same embodiment. This is a functional block diagram of the mobile terminal in the same embodiment. This is a diagram showing the registration information stored in the first storage unit of the same embodiment. This is a diagram showing the received target beacon information stored in the second storage unit of the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the command unit in the same embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the processing unit in the same embodiment. This is a time chart showing the relationship between the transmission timing of beacon information and a certain period of time in the same embodiment. This is a time chart showing the relationship between the transmission timing of beacon information and a certain period of time, given for comparison.

[0032] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the processing execution system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0033] <First Embodiment> 1. Overview As shown in Figure 1, this processing execution system 100 automatically unlocks an access facility such as a door, gate, or shutter (hereinafter also referred to as "door") when a specific authorized person approaches the door. The system includes a receiving beacon 1 installed near or attached to the door, and a mobile terminal 2 carried by the authorized person.

[0034] 2. Receiving Beacon 1 The receiving beacon 1 transmits beacon signals at regular time intervals (for example, every few seconds) and consists of a microcontroller, a signal transmitter (in this case, a BLE chip), a battery, an antenna, a housing, etc.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the aforementioned beacon signal includes beacon information. This beacon information is used to identify the beacon 1 that transmitted the beacon signal, and the content of this beacon information is set to differ depending on the beacon 1.

[0036] Furthermore, the receiving beacon 1 not only transmits the beacon signal, but also has the function of bidirectional communication with the mobile terminal 2, and the function of transmitting unlocking / locking signals via wired or wireless connection to an unlocking device (not shown) installed on the door, thereby automatically locking and unlocking the door.

[0037] 3. Mobile Terminal 2 The mobile terminal 2 is a portable terminal device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or laptop computer, carried by a specific authorized person (resident or contractor) who is permitted to pass through the door. The mobile terminal may not only be a device that can be carried by a person, but may also be an autonomous mobile device such as an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle), a drone (flying, ground, water-based, or underwater), or a remotely operated mobile device.

[0038] In terms of hardware, the mobile terminal 2 here includes a CPU, memory (storage is also included in memory here), a communication device, a display, a touch panel, etc. In terms of software, as shown in Figure 3, it has functions such as a communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the target beacon, a terminal information setting unit that sets terminal information for identifying the mobile terminal 2 in the wireless communication, a registered beacon information storage unit that stores registered beacon information, a processing unit that executes predetermined processing, and a command unit that commands the processing unit to execute the predetermined processing.

[0039] Of these components, the receiving unit, the first storage unit, the second storage unit, and the command unit are always in operation when the mobile terminal 2 is powered on, and are managed by the OS.

[0040] On the other hand, the processing unit is a so-called application installed on the OS and can take two states: an execution state in which the predetermined processing is executed and a stop state in which the operation stops. The execution state includes a state in which processing is executed in the foreground displayed on the display and inputable by the user and a state in which processing is executed in the background not displayed on the display. Also, the stop state includes a state in which the application is started but in the background and the operation is stopped, and a kill state in which the application is not started.

[0041] Next, each part of this mobile terminal 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and the like.

[0042] (1) Communication unit This communication unit performs wireless communication with the reception target beacon 1. More specifically, it has functions such as receiving a beacon signal being wirelessly transmitted, performing communication for establishing pairing with the beacon signal reception target beacon, transmitting an unlocking command signal to the paired reception target beacon 1, and receiving an unlocking completion signal from the reception target beacon 1.

[0043] (2) Terminal information setting unit This terminal information setting unit sets terminal information used to identify the mobile terminal 2 in the wireless communication. Terminal information is used to specify a communication device in wireless communication. If this terminal information changes, physically the same mobile terminal 2 will be recognized as a different communication device on the protocol of the wireless communication.

[0044] Thus, the terminal information setting unit here sequentially switches a plurality of the terminal information with different contents (values) at time intervals shorter than the predetermined time. In other words, this terminal information setting unit switches the current terminal information to other terminal information with different contents after a terminal information switching time set shorter than the predetermined time from its setting.

[0045] More specifically, a plurality of different terminal information is stored in a terminal information storage unit (not shown) set in a predetermined area of the memory, and the terminal information setting unit sequentially acquires the terminal information in the terminal information storage unit at each terminal information switching time and sets this as the terminal information used for wireless communication.

[0046] Note that the switching method of the terminal information is not limited to this, and for example, it may be switched according to a certain rule (calculation formula) or the like.

[0047] (3) Registered beacon information storage unit This registered beacon information storage unit is set in a predetermined area of the memory managed by the OS of the mobile terminal 2, and stores one or more registered beacon information that can be compared with the beacon information transmitted by the reception target beacon 1.

[0048] (4) Command unit The command unit acquires the beacon information received by the communication unit, searches for the registered beacon information that matches the beacon information from the registered beacon information stored in the registered beacon information storage unit, and if there is registered beacon information determined to match, forcibly sets the processing unit to the execution state and causes the predetermined process to be executed.

[0049] Also, when a certain time exceeds from the reception of the beacon information, the command unit changes the processing unit from the execution state to the stop state. This certain time is not extended even if beacon information determined to match the same registered beacon information is received during that time.

[0050] The operation of the command unit described above is linked to the terminal information. To explain in detail, in the wireless communication, as described above, if the terminal information changes, the same mobile terminal is recognized as a different communication device. Therefore, the command unit under the initial terminal information and the command unit under the changed terminal information operate as command units in different devices.

[0051] Here, the "match" means partial match or complete match, and either can be specified by the user or the administrator.

[0052] (5) Processing unit This processing unit executes the predetermined process. This predetermined process includes a first-stage process performed when the mobile terminal 2 enters the first range starting from the door, and a second-stage process performed when the mobile terminal 2 enters the second range closer to the door than the first range.

[0053] In the first stage of processing, preparatory processes are performed before unlocking the door, such as communicating with a server device (not shown) to obtain an unlocking signal. This first stage of processing may take longer than the second stage of processing that follows.

[0054] The second stage of processing includes pairing with the target beacon and sending an unlock signal to the target beacon, as well as the process of the target beacon receiving this unlock signal sending an unlock command signal to the door and receiving an unlock completion signal indicating that the door has been unlocked.

[0055] In this case, the first and second ranges are determined by the reception strength (RSSI) of the beacon signal received by the communication unit, but other methods such as GPS information or distance measurement data measured by a separately provided distance measuring sensor and transmitted to the mobile terminal 2 may also be used.

[0056] 4. Example of Operation Here, we will explain using the example of an authorized person, such as a delivery person or resident, who is carrying a mobile terminal 2 and enters an apartment building through a door.

[0057] When the mobile terminal 2 is powered on, the command unit starts measuring time to measure the predetermined period of time (Figure 4: Step S1).

[0058] Under these circumstances, when an authorized person approaches the door and enters the first area, the communication unit receives a beacon signal from the receiving target beacon 1 installed on the door (Figure 4: Step S2).

[0059] Upon receiving beacon information in this manner, the command unit searches whether there is a match between the beacon information contained in the beacon signal and the multiple registered beacon information stored in the registered beacon information storage unit (Figure 4: Step S3).

[0060] If a match is found, the command unit determines whether the current terminal information differs from the terminal information received when the previous beacon information matching the registered beacon information was received (Figure 4: Step S4).

[0061] If a discrepancy occurs, the command unit resets the time measurement started in step S1 (Figure 4: step S5) and forces the processing unit into the execution state. Then, it returns to step S2.

[0062] Furthermore, if the command unit determines in step S2 that it has not received a beacon signal, or in step S3 that it does not match, or in step S4 that it does not differ, and a certain period of time has elapsed (Figure 4, step S7), the command unit puts the processing unit into a stopped state (Figure 4, step S8) and returns to step S2.

[0063] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 5, the terminal information setting unit sequentially switches the terminal information to other terminal information at time intervals shorter than the fixed time (terminal information switching time) (Figure 5: Steps S11, S12). This operation is independent of the command unit.

[0064] Therefore, when an authorized user enters the first range and the processing unit enters an execution state, as shown in Figure 6, as long as the authorized user remains within the first range (including the second range), the terminal information is switched before a certain period of time has elapsed, and a new measurement of a certain period of time begins. Thus, the processing unit does not stop, and its execution state continues.

[0065] Next, we will explain the operation of the processing unit once it enters the execution state.

[0066] When an authorized person carrying mobile terminal 2 enters the first range, the processing unit, having received a processing execution command from the command unit, performs the first stage processing. Specifically, in the first stage processing, this processing unit communicates with a server device (not shown) to obtain an unlocking signal (Figure 7: Step S21). In this example, the unlocking signal is a constantly changing one-time format, but it is not limited to this.

[0067] Next, this processing unit obtains the value of the received signal strength (RSSI) included in the received beacon signal, and if the received signal strength becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, it determines that the mobile terminal 2 has entered the second range (Figure 7: step S22), and performs the second stage processing.

[0068] Specifically, after pairing with the target beacon (Figure 7: step S23), the processing unit transmits the unlocking signal acquired in the first stage of processing to the paired target beacon (Figure 7: step S24).

[0069] Subsequently, when the unit receives an unlocking completion signal from the target beacon (Figure 7: step S25), this processing unit terminates the predetermined process.

[0070] 5. Effects: With the above configuration, while the mobile terminal 2 is receiving beacon information from the target beacon 1, the aforementioned fixed time, which is the limit on the execution time of the predetermined process, is extended, thus preventing the execution of the predetermined process from unexpectedly stopping.

[0071] 6. Modified Terminal Information Switching Interval (Terminal Information Switching Time) may be longer than the aforementioned fixed time by a predetermined short time. This "predetermined short time" is a time that does not cause stress to the authorized person standing in front of the door while waiting for the door to open, and experiments with subjects have determined that this is a maximum of 2 seconds. The shorter this "predetermined short time" is, the better, more preferably 1 second or less, and even more preferably 0.5 seconds or less. In the second stage processing described above, the mobile terminal paired with the receiving target beacon before transmitting the unlock signal to the receiving target beacon, but pairing is not required. Alternatively, the mobile terminal may be configured to transmit the unlock signal directly to the door control device to unlock the door.

[0072] <Second Embodiment> 1. Overview The processing execution system 100 in this second embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, also includes a receiving target beacon 1 and a mobile terminal 2 that performs predetermined processing when it receives beacon information from the receiving target beacon 1, similar to the first embodiment.

[0073] Furthermore, the predetermined process includes the process of unlocking the door, just as in the first embodiment.

[0074] However, the functions and operation of the receiving beacon 1 and the mobile terminal 2 differ slightly from those of the first embodiment. The same reference numerals are used for components corresponding to the first embodiment.

[0075] 2. Receiving Beacon 1 The receiving beacon 1 here is a well-known beacon that emits beacon signals at regular time intervals (for example, every few seconds), and its physical configuration is the same as in the first embodiment.

[0076] As shown in Figure 8, the beacon signal includes beacon information for identifying each beacon 1.

[0077] Furthermore, each beacon information transmitted by a single receiving beacon 1 consists of a common part with shared content and a differing part with content that is different from each other.

[0078] The common part here includes a main identifier that functions as target / non-target identification information to identify whether a beacon is a target beacon 1 or not, and a first sub-identifier that functions as target beacon identification information to identify each target beacon 1. In other words, beacon information transmitted by different target beacons 1 will have different values ​​for this first sub-identifier.

[0079] The aforementioned difference includes a second sub-identifier. This second sub-identifier functions as signal identification information for identifying each beacon information transmitted by the receiving beacon 1. Here, the value of this second sub-identifier is set to change according to a certain rule in the order in which the beacon information is transmitted. For example, it is set so that the value of the second sub-identifier increases by 1 in one cycle.

[0080] Furthermore, the parts of the beacon information that are considered common and different, and which parts of the common section are designated as target / non-target identification information or target beacon identification information, are not limited to those described above and can be set as appropriate.

[0081] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, this receiving beacon 1 repeatedly transmits multiple (five in the figure) beacon information with different content, switching between them sequentially at regular intervals.

[0082] 3. Mobile Terminal 2 Next, we will explain mobile terminal 2.

[0083] Similar to the first embodiment, this mobile terminal 2 is equipped with a CPU, memory, communication device, display, touch panel, and the like in terms of hardware.

[0084] However, in terms of software, the mobile terminal 2, as shown in Figure 10, has functions such as a receiving unit that receives the beacon information, a first storage unit that stores one or more registration information, a second storage unit that stores beacon information transmitted by the beacon 1 to be received, a processing unit that executes the predetermined processing, and a command unit that commands the processing unit to execute the predetermined processing.

[0085] Of these components, the receiving unit, the first storage unit, and the command unit are always in operation as long as the power is on, and are managed by the OS.

[0086] On the other hand, the processing unit is a so-called application installed on the OS, and can take on two states: an execution state in which it performs the predetermined processing, and a stopped state in which it stops operating. The execution state includes a state in which it performs processing in the foreground, which is displayed on the screen and can be input by the user, and a state in which it performs processing in the background, which is not displayed on the screen. The stopped state includes a state in which it is running but in the background and has stopped operating, and a kill state in which it is not running.

[0087] 4. Description of each part of the mobile terminal 2

[0088] (1) Receiving Unit The receiving unit receives an arbitrary beacon signal and acquires the beacon information (Figure 13: Step 1), measures the received strength of the beacon signal, and stores these in a predetermined area of ​​memory managed by the OS.

[0089] (2) First storage unit The first storage unit is set in a predetermined area of ​​the memory managed by the OS of the mobile terminal 2. Registration information that can be compared with the beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon 1 is stored in this first storage unit.

[0090] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11(a), the first area of ​​the first storage unit is registered as initial registration information, in which the first sub-identifier and the second sub-identifier are represented by wildcard characters.

[0091] As will be described later, when any beacon information transmitted by the target beacon 1 is received, the activated processing unit adds all of the beacon information of the target beacon 1 to the second area of ​​the first storage unit as new registration information, as shown in Figure 11(b).

[0092] This first storage unit is configured as main memory or cache memory, and while it offers fast access speeds, there may be an upper limit (for example, 15) on the number of registered information entries that can be stored due to capacity limitations.

[0093] (3) The beacon information of each receiving target beacon 1 is stored in the second storage unit, which is provided in an area with no limit on the number of registrations, for example, in the storage area, as shown in Figure 12.

[0094] Here, as shown in Figure 12(a), representative beacon information from among the multiple beacon information transmitted by each receiving target beacon 1 is stored in this second storage unit. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 12(b), all beacon information may be stored.

[0095] (4) Command Unit As shown in Figure 13, the command unit acquires the beacon information received by the receiving unit and searches for registered information that matches the beacon information among the registered information stored in the first storage unit (step S2). If there is registered information that is determined to be a match, the command unit forces the processing unit to enter an execution state and executes the predetermined process (step S4).

[0096] Furthermore, if a certain period of time elapses after the reception of the beacon information (step S3), the command unit will stop the processing unit from the running state (step S5). This certain period of time is not extended even if beacon information that is determined to match the same registration information is received during that time. However, if the command unit receives beacon information that is determined to match different registration information within that certain period of time, it will extend the running state of the processing unit for a further certain period of time after receiving that information.

[0097] In this context, "match" refers to either a partial match or an exact match, and users or administrators can specify which one is appropriate.

[0098] For example, when specifying a partial match, one or more bits of the registration information can be set to a wildcard character such as "*", and the remaining parts can be used to determine a match. Here, as illustrated in Figure 11, the wildcard character "*" can be used for the first sub-identifier and the second sub-identifier.

[0099] In other words, the command center searches using a partial match condition if the registration information contains wildcard characters, and an exact match condition if it does not.

[0100] (5) Processing Unit The processing unit executes the predetermined processing described above, and the predetermined processing here is as follows:

[0101] As a prerequisite, as shown in Figure 1, a first range in which the mobile terminal 2 can receive beacon information is set, starting from the receiving target beacon 1 installed on the door, and a second range closer to the door than this first range.

[0102] The first range, in this case, is the limit range in which beacon information can be received, but it may also be defined by the value of the received beacon information intensity.

[0103] The second range, in this case, is defined by the value of the received beacon signal strength, but it may also be defined by another dedicated sensor, for example.

[0104] However, the prescribed processing here is to prepare to transmit the unlocking signal when the mobile terminal 2 enters the first range, and to transmit the unlocking signal to the door unlocking device when it enters the second range. Here, preparation refers to processing that takes a certain amount of time, such as authenticating whether the holder of the mobile terminal 2 is an authorized passerby, or sending an unlocking signal from the server device to the mobile terminal 2 if authenticated.

[0105] 5. Example of Operation Here, we will explain using the example of a person with a mobile terminal 2, such as a delivery person or a resident, entering an apartment building through a door.

[0106] When a person authorized to pass through approaches the door and enters the first area, the receiving unit receives beacon information from the receiving target beacon 1 installed on the door (Figure 13: Step S1).

[0107] Next, the command unit compares the beacon information with the registration information stored in the first storage unit and determines whether they match (Figure 13: Step S2).

[0108] At this time, as shown in Figure 11(a), the first storage unit stores information that is partially represented by wildcard characters as initial registration information. The command unit then determines whether the part of the initial registration information that is not represented by wildcard characters, i.e., the main identifier, matches the main identifier contained in the received beacon information.

[0109] In other words, the command unit determines whether or not the beacon information is from the target beacon 1. Here, the command unit determines that the beacon information is from the target beacon 1, and then determines whether or not the reception of beacon information that matches the same registration information has continued for a certain period of time (Figure 13: Step S3).

[0110] The command center will stop the processing unit if it determines that beacon information has been received for a certain period of time. However, in this case, since the person authorized to pass through has just entered the first zone for the first time, the command center will run the processing unit.

[0111] The processing unit, which has been put into an execution state by the command unit in this manner, begins to execute the predetermined process.

[0112] Specifically, the processing unit first detects whether the authorized passerby (mobile terminal 2) has entered the second range based on the received beacon signal strength (Figure 14: Step S11).

[0113] Then, if the processing unit determines that the person with the permission to pass is not in the second range, that is, that the person with the permission to pass is still in the first range, the processing unit performs the aforementioned preparatory processing for sending the unlocking signal (Figure 14: Step S12).

[0114] On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 2 enters the second range, the processing unit transmits the unlocking signal obtained in the preparation process to the unlocking device, causing the door to unlock (Figure 14: Step S12).

[0115] The processing unit performs the predetermined processing described above and adds registration information to the first storage unit. Specifically, it identifies the beacon 1 to be received from the first sub-identifier included in the received beacon information (Figure 14: Step S13).

[0116] Next, the processing unit refers to the second storage unit and acquires all beacon information transmitted by the identified target beacon 1 (Figure 14: Step S14). Here, the main identifier and the first sub-identifier have the same values, and only the value of the second sub-identifier changes. The processing unit stores a formula consisting of the initial value and the change value of the second sub-identifier, calculates all the beacon information from this formula, and adds it to the second area of ​​the first storage unit (Figure 14: Step S15).

[0117] Thus, as each beacon information transmitted sequentially from the target beacon 1 is newly added as registered information, the command unit recognizes each change in the beacon information transmitted from the target beacon 1 as a different beacon information, and maintains the execution state of the processing unit for a certain period of time from the moment of the change.

[0118] Subsequently, if the authorized person passes through the door and the door sensor detects this and receives a pass signal indicating this, or if the authorized person moves away from the receiving beacon 1, for example by passing through the door, and a period of no reception occurs where beacon information from the receiving beacon 1 cannot be received (Figure 14: Step S16), the processing unit stops transmitting the unlock signal (Figure 14: Step S17), locks the door, and deletes the beacon information of the receiving beacon 1 that was written to the second area of ​​the first storage unit (Figure 14: Step S18).

[0119] Furthermore, it is preferable to set the reception inability period to less than the specified time. This is because, after the specified time has elapsed, the processing unit will be shut down by the command unit, and although the transmission of the unlock signal will be stopped, it may become impossible to delete the beacon information of the first storage unit.

[0120] However, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the beacon information is set to change within the aforementioned fixed time period. Therefore, as long as the person authorized to pass enters the first range, the reception of the beacon information that has changed before the fixed time period during which the processing unit stops will further extend that fixed time period, and the processing unit will continue to operate.

[0121] Therefore, even when a person with an access permit enters the second area, the processing unit remains in operation and the unlocking signal is reliably transmitted, thus avoiding unforeseen situations such as the processing unit stopping after a certain period of time has elapsed, preventing entry into the door.

[0122] As shown in Figure 16, the beacon information may be configured to change only once during the aforementioned fixed period of time. However, in this case, although the execution state of the processing unit is continuously maintained, if there is a period during which beacon information cannot be received due to radio interference or other reasons, the processing unit may stop depending on the timing, even if the period is short.

[0123] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 15, the number of beacon information signals transmitted by one receiving target beacon 1 is set to three or more (five in the figure), and the beacon information is set to change two or more times during the aforementioned period of time.

[0124] This configuration makes it more reliable to prevent the processing unit from shutting down even if there is a long period of time during which beacon information cannot be received.

[0125] Furthermore, since the registration information in the first storage unit is dynamically changed, it is not necessary to store in the first storage unit at once the number of registration information corresponding to all the beacon information transmitted by each receiving target beacon 1, thereby reducing the capacity of the first storage unit as much as possible.

[0126] Furthermore, the resources and processing required for this purpose become unnecessary, enabling efficient reception of beacon information and the execution of associated predetermined processing.

[0127] Furthermore, since the first storage unit can be placed in main memory or cache memory, which have high access speeds but limited capacity, this also allows for faster reception of beacon information and faster execution of predetermined processes.

[0128] <Third Embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the first ranges of two receiving target beacons 1 are close together, adjacent, or partially overlapping, such as when two doors are in the vicinity of each other.

[0129] In this case, regardless of which of the permitted passage areas the user enters, the command unit will put the processing unit into an execution state.

[0130] The processing unit, which has entered the execution state, has received the beacon information of the unit that entered first, so it identifies the target beacon 1 and writes all the beacon information transmitted by that target beacon 1 as new registration information to the second area of ​​the first storage unit.

[0131] Subsequently, when the authorized passer enters the other first area, the processing unit, which is in operation, overwrites the second area of ​​the first storage unit with new registration information based on the beacon information from the other receiving target beacon 1, by overwriting all the beacon information transmitted by that other receiving target beacon 1.

[0132] If the first ranges overlap, two beacon signals may be received. In this case, the processing unit will use the beacon signal with the larger RSSI value.

[0133] With this configuration, even if multiple target beacons 1 are in close proximity, the nearest target beacon 1 can be selected and the predetermined processing can be reliably executed.

[0134] <Fourth Embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0135] In this embodiment, if the mobile terminal 2 is not detected to have entered the second range even after a predetermined first time limit has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, the processing unit assumes that the authorized user intends to remain in the first range and has no intention of entering the second range, and disables or stops transmitting the unlock signal. More specifically, for example, the authentication initially granted to the authorized user is revoked, and even if the user subsequently enters the second range, the unlock signal is made untransmittable.

[0136] With this configuration, by appropriately setting the first time limit, it is possible to determine that the person remains within the first range and has no intention of passing through the door. In that case, even if they subsequently enter the second range, the unlocking signal will be disabled or made untransmittable, thus improving security while ensuring convenience. It is preferable that the first time limit is longer than the aforementioned fixed time.

[0137] <Fifth Embodiment> Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0138] In this embodiment, if the unlocking signal continues to be transmitted beyond the second time limit, the processing unit considers that the authorized person has not passed through the door, and invalidates the unlocking signal and stops transmitting it.

[0139] The fact that the unlocking signal continues to be transmitted means that the user remains within the second range, so by appropriately setting the second time limit, it is possible to improve security while ensuring convenience. Note that the second time limit is the amount of time the user can remain near the door, and it does not need to be set to be very long, so it may be set to be shorter than the aforementioned fixed time.

[0140] The beacon information switching interval may be longer than the aforementioned fixed time by a predetermined short time. This "predetermined short time" is, as in the first embodiment, a time that does not cause stress to the authorized person standing in front of the door while waiting for the door to open, and has been determined to be a maximum of 2 seconds through experiments with subjects. The shorter this "predetermined short time" is, the better; more preferably 1 second or less, and even more preferably 0.5 seconds or less.

[0141] <Other Modified Embodiments> The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from its spirit.

[0142] For example, as described above, all receiving beacons 1 had a common main identifier value, but it is also possible to set multiple main identifier values ​​and set multiple groups of receiving beacons. In this case, multiple main identifiers will be registered as initial registration information in the first area of ​​the first storage unit.

[0143] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a common portion was set in the beacon information transmitted by the beacon to be received, but it is not necessary to have a common portion. In that case, one beacon information can be set in the first storage unit as initial registration information, and the other beacon information can be stored in the second storage unit linked to the one beacon information. In addition, when the processing unit receives the one beacon information, it can determine that it matches the initial registration information, and using this as a trigger, it can refer to the second storage unit to acquire the other beacon information and add it to the first storage unit.

[0144] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the processing unit was stopped by a command from the command unit after a certain period of time had elapsed. However, the processing unit may be configured to stop on its own after a certain period of time, without being controlled by the command unit.

[0145] Furthermore, various other predetermined processes are conceivable besides transmitting a door unlocking signal. For example, one possible approach is to install a receiving beacon 1 in the merchandise area and distribute coupon information only to people who approach the merchandise area or pass through the gate.

[0146] Furthermore, it is acceptable to combine parts of the configurations of each embodiment described above as appropriate. For example, various configurations and operations in the second embodiment and later may be applied to the first embodiment. In this case, there is no prerequisite for applying the technical matters concerning beacon information in the second embodiment and later to terminal information in the first embodiment.

[0147] 1... Receiving beacon 2... Mobile terminal 100... Processing execution system

[0148] This system provides a processing execution system that can improve the reliability and convenience of executing predetermined processes on mobile terminals using beacons.

Claims

1. A processing execution system comprising a predetermined receiving target beacon and a mobile terminal that performs predetermined processing upon receiving beacon information determined to have been transmitted from the receiving target beacon, wherein the mobile terminal is configured to stop executing the predetermined processing after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, provided that the terminal information which is information for identifying itself does not change, and to switch to terminal information determined to have different content at time intervals of less than or equal to the certain period of time, or at time intervals of the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time, or, after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, to stop executing the predetermined processing even if beacon information determined to be identical is received during that time, and the receiving target beacon transmits multiple beacon information with different content in sequence, and the time from the start of transmission of one beacon information to the start of transmission of the next beacon information is set to within the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time. The processing execution system is characterized in that, when the mobile terminal receives one of the plurality of beacon pieces of information, it determines that the beacon piece of information is from the receiving target beacon and starts executing the predetermined process, and determines that each piece of beacon piece of information transmitted by the receiving target beacon is a different piece of beacon piece of information.

2. A mobile terminal that performs a predetermined process when it receives a predetermined receiving target beacon and beacon information that is determined to have been transmitted from the receiving target beacon, and is configured to stop executing the predetermined process after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, even if it receives beacon information that is determined to have the same content during that time, as long as the terminal information which is information for identifying itself does not change, and switches to terminal information that is determined to have different content at time intervals of less than the certain period of time, or at time intervals that are the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time, or switches and transmits multiple beacon information with mutually different content in sequence, and is used together with a receiving target beacon that starts transmitting the next beacon information within a certain period of time from the start of transmission of one beacon information, or within the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time, and performs a predetermined process when it is determined that the received beacon information was transmitted from the receiving target beacon, and is configured to stop executing the predetermined process after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, even if it receives beacon information that is determined to have the same content during that time, Furthermore, the mobile terminal is characterized in that, upon receiving one of the plurality of beacon pieces of information, it determines that the beacon piece of information is from the receiving target beacon and starts executing the predetermined process, and determines that each piece of beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon is a different piece of beacon information.

3. A program installed in a mobile terminal that executes a predetermined process when it receives a predetermined receiving target beacon and beacon information that is determined to have been transmitted from the receiving target beacon, provided that the terminal information, which is information for identifying the mobile terminal, does not change, after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, even if beacon information that is determined to have the same content is received during that time, the execution of the predetermined process is stopped, and the mobile terminal is made to perform a function to switch to terminal information that is determined to have different content at time intervals of less than the certain period of time or at time intervals that are the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time, or a program installed in a mobile terminal that sequentially switches and transmits multiple beacon information with different content, and starts transmitting the next beacon information within a certain period of time from the start of transmission of one beacon information, or within the certain period of time plus a predetermined short time, and executes a predetermined process when it is determined that the received beacon information was transmitted from the receiving target beacon, in addition to the function of stopping the execution of the predetermined process after a certain period of time has elapsed since receiving the beacon information, even if beacon information that is determined to have the same content is received during that time, A program characterized in that, upon receiving one of the aforementioned plurality of beacon information, it determines that the beacon information is from the receiving target beacon and starts executing the predetermined process, and causes the mobile terminal to perform a function that determines each beacon information transmitted by the receiving target beacon to be different beacon information.

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